Page 105 of The Surrender
“And then I had a full-body massage which involved a very happy ending, and, bonus, Rach could watch.”
I blink and look at my brother. “What the fuck?”
“Yeah, you’re right, thewhat the fucks just keep coming today, don’t they?” Clark points to the entrance. “Who is she?”
“Jude’s ex,” I say quietly. “And you think Nick’s finding it hard to let go.”
“Oh, shit.”
“She spews venom like a premenstrual spitting cobra.”
“Go. I can tell you want to.”
“I want to but don’t.” I can feel my feet lifting, readying to take me there, but my head, the sensible part, is warning against it. “Fuck it.” I pass Clark my half-empty glass. “Back in a minute.”
I pace across the club and push my way out the doors to the outside area, where a few people are smoking. Jude’s on the far side, Katherine opposite him, arms folded, looking as indignant as a woman could look. “I swear,” Jude hisses, “if I find out you had anything to do with it, I’ll ruin you, do you hear me?”
Katherine laughs. It’s condescending as fuck. “You seem to be forgetting one small detail, Jude,” she counters, leaning in. But then she spots me and backs off again. “Ah, here she is, thegirlfriend.” Her eyes drop down my sports top and leggings. “You’re hardly dressed for the occasion.”
“And what’s the occasion?” I ask.
“He’s getting to know the parents.” Katherine smiles. “This really is serious.” She turns her steely eyes onto Jude again. “But how well are they getting to know you, Jude?”
“What does that mean?” I ask, approaching.
“Jude’s never been serious with women.”
“That’s because none of them were Amelia,” he snaps. “Including you.” He puts his arm around me and leads me away. “Fuck off home to your husband, Katherine, and leave me the hell alone.”
Then he places a kiss in my hair, and I can’t help but think he’s pacifying me. “What did she mean, how well are they getting to know you?”
“She means what she says. Katherine has some warped notion that no one knows me better than her.”
“Because you were engaged,” I murmur.
Jude stops me, putting himself in front of me, holding the tops of my arms. “Stop it,” he warns. “Stop letting her get under your skin.”
I sigh. “You need to tell her to leave.”
“I know,” he says. “But like you do with Nick, I have to choose my moment.”
God damn him. “Nick’s not making you miserable.”
Jude laughs, pinching the bridge of his nose, seeming to take in air and patience. Does he disagree?
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.” His chest expands, his breath deep. “Come on, it’s been a lovely afternoon and evening. Let’s not spoil it now.” He collects me and walks us back inside.
“She denied scratching my car, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” he says, flat and clipped. “I think I might need to find a room for your parents tonight.” And just like that, the conversation is over. I exhale, fucked off with myself for feeling so irritated. “And tell me we can book our break tomorrow.”
“We can book our break tomorrow,” I confirm quietly, feeling a bit deflated. My mum and dad are still lost in the music, and probably their tenth cocktail now.
“Hey.” Jude nudges me in the side. “Snap out of it. Everything will be okay.”
I force a smile, and it’s an effort.
